History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 112

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 112

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At this writing, there are but few aged persons residing in this township who were born here in an early day. One among them is Amos Atkins, born in 1821. His father, John Atkins, was a native of Massachusetts, and when but sixteen years of age enlisted as a patriot in the Revolution- ary war, where he served with merit until peace was declared. After the close of the war he moved to Kentucky, where he

RESIDENCE OF HENRY WATSON, ALTON, ILLINOIS .

RES. HOTEL AND STORE OF WWW. MARSH, BUSHVILLE, 3 MILES N.W. OF MITCHELL STATION MADISON CO. ILL.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

married his wife, Miss Nancy Stewart. In 1807, he moved to Illinois, and settled in what is now Venice township. He afterward moved to Missouri, but not liking the country he returned to Illinois, and finally located in Nameoki town- ship, where he died at an old age many years ago. Ilis wife survived him but few years. Three children were born to the family at the time of their coming, William, John, Jr., and Charles. Three other children were born in Illi- mois. None of the family are now living. Amos, son of John Jr., is now residing on Chouteau Island in section 24. Even he is advanced in years, and has seen many hardships, and especially those connected with the great floods of the Father of Waters. In 1844 the water came into his house several feet deep, and the family were obliged to abandon their home, and flee to the bluff for safety. Within the last year he informs us, that he was surrounded by a sea of water, it intruding to the very door of his residence, and that they were fearful lest their house would be undermined, and perhaps, be washed into the angry flood. Mr. Atkins has lived to see a portion of his farm go into the river. The channel is now far eastward from where it was when he was a boy. He predicts that it is only a question of time when his wbole farm will be the river chauvel.

Andrew Emert was one of the early settlers. He was born in Pennsylvania, and came to the American Bottom about 1807, and located in section 33, near the southern boundary of the township On his advent here he had a wife and four children, Elizabeth, Andrew, Sarah, and Henry. Two other children were born of this marriage ; Polly and Rose A. lle was twice married; from the latter re- union four children were born, Rachel, Eliza, William, and James. The father and mother died many years since, and but three of the children survive them; they are all resi- dents of Madison county at this writing. The widow of William, Harriet Emert, lives in section 10, and owns one of the best farms and farm houses in the township. Two of the old living settlers, are the widows of Joseph C .. and Thomas Dunnagan, nee Sarah M., and Elizabeth Davidson, the father of whom was a pioneer who settled in the southern part of Edwardsville township. From the above it will be seen that two brothers married sisters. The husbands of these old ladies were the sons of Isaiah Dunnagan, the first settler of Fort Russell, and of whom a brief history will be found in the chapter on that township. A son of Sarah M., is residing with her, and conducts the affairs of the old home- stead farm, situated in section 12. They are a happy, and hospitable family, partaking of the traits of their ancestors. Henry Job was born in Pennsylvania, and when a small boy went to Virginia. Moved to Missouri in an early day, and thence came to Madison county and settled in this town- ship in 1839, where he died about 1842. Mrs. Mary E. Montgomery, widow of Paris Montgomery, is a daughter, and the only one of the family residing in the county.

Among other early settlers of about the same period, we record the names of the Hickles, the Bridges, the Ribolds, the Pettingills, and the Days. As stated at the outset, for some cause, there are bnt few early settlers now living. It must be that the Bottom is not conducive to longevity. 61

The following are some of the claims founded on an Act of Congress granting a donation of one hundred acres of land to each militiaman enrolled, and doing duty in the Il- linois territory, on the 1st day of August, 1790, within the district of Kaskaskia: " Claim 1869, Jean Brugier, Nicho. las Jarrot, 100 acres." This claim lay a little above the old towu of Madison, and has long since been washed into the Mississippi. " Claim 115, Charles Hebert, (alias Cadien) Nicholas Jarrot, 100 acres. Affirmed and located with others on the bank of the Mississippi, about two miles below the mouth of Mad river, now Wood." This claim is also in the river. " Claim 1841, Baptiste Lecompte, Nicholas Jar- rot, 100 acres." This claim was in section seventeen, close to Madison Landing. and is now in the river. Claims 1830, Louis Menard, Nicholas Jarrot, section eight ; and 113, Jo- seph Ives, Nicholas Jarrot, section seventeen, and several others are now submerged in the river. . "Claim 545, David Waddle, 100 acres. Affirmed and located with two other militia claims in Six Mile Prairie. (This survey includes the militia claim of Alexander Waddle, and the improvement right of 250 aeres of this elaimant.") They lie mostly in sections 31 and 32. The above are sub- stantially the early militia claims of Chouteau. The first land entry was made by David Stockton, Sept. 13th, 1814, being several acres in sections 4, Sept. 14th, 1814. James Gillham entered 205. 75-100 acres in section 1. Samuel Gillham entered 63, 37-100 acres in section 17, the 17th of Sept. 1814. John MeTaggon on the 20th, following, entered several acres in section 3, Sept. 29th, of the same year, James Gillham entered the southwest quarter of section 15, 160 acres.

From some of the reminiscences left by Samuel P. Gillham we are able to glean many facts of the pleasures, hardships, customs, and dangers of the hardy pioneers of the western fronti r. In 1811, the Indians manifested a war-like spirit, giving evidence to the settlers that it would be wise on their part to prepare for an emergency in case of any hostile dem- onstrations on the part of the Indians. Indeed, they had already murdered one of the settlers, and wounded another near Hunter's Spring, now within the city of Alton. This overt act threw the people into a fever of excitement, and they soon gathered together and erected a block house, sit- uated in section 1, on the farm now owned by Lemuel South- ard. It was understood by all the families in the neigh- borhood, that in case of any signs of Indian hostility the news was to be spread abroad in the settlement, and all were to flee for protection to the Fort. In after years the build- ing was utilized for school purposes, as will be mentioned in its proper connection. No signs of the old Fort now exist.

The pioneers tilled the soil but little, and their wants were few. A small patch of corn, enough for family use, and a little wheat, with a few garden vegetables, were sufficient to satisfy their wants, so far as food was concerned, with the exception of their meats, which were principally confined to wild game, then so plenty in all parts of the West. Deer and wild turkeys abounded in great numbers, and bee-trees were so common that they were found without an effort.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

They also cultivated small patches of cotton and flax of which to manufacture their garments ; the men, however, were dressed more or less with buckskin. Nearly every set- tler had his tan trough whereby he tanned his own leather and manufactured the material for his family shoes. Their means of transportation in getting what little they had to market, was chiefly the ox team and wooden cart. One old settler says : it was as late as 1837, before he beard the name of " buggy." Cattle and hogs were their chief reliance for money. These were marketed in St. Louis, and were bought in the interest of the packing houses. The articles of barter were mainly deerskins, honey, and beeswax. For these they would get in exchange their supply of groceries, a d other indispensables for housekeeping. And yet with all these hardships and inconveniences, they were a happy and contented people.

The first marriage solemnized in this township among the Americans, was probably that of James Gillham and Polly Good, January, 1809. The groom was the second son of John Gillham who was one of the first pioneers of that name. Four children were born to this couple : Sally, Polly A., Nancy and Martin. One of the oldest places of interment of the American settlers was a neighborhood burial-ground, situated on the premises of Samuel Gillham. It was at his house that church services were held in an early day, and his land was also the camp ground for the militia when called upon to muster. The first school was taught in the summer of 1813, by Vaitch Clark. The school-house was the little fort or block house, situated in section 1, which has already been mentioned. The second teacher was M. C. Cox, who taught in the summer of 1814. It seems that there was an interruption in the school until the winter of 1817-'18, when it was again revived, and taught by a man named Campbell, in the same old fort ; he taught at intervals for nearly two years, and here the young pioneers enjoyed their only school privileges and advantages. It is said that the religious privileges were much better than the educational. There were several pioneer preachers, and their meetings were frequent. The services were conducted in the cabins of the settlers. The earthquake of 1811 caused many accessions to the church, it being a prevalent idea among them that the world was about to come to an end, and those outside of the fold made haste to join the church. Several good and lasting conversions were made, while others, after the fear had passed away, soon fell back to their old habits.

Justices of the peace, at an early day, in Chouteau, were unknown, because the township was so sparsely settled. Those in the south, having any business before a magistrate, would take their cases before Samuel Squiers, in Nameoki. Those in the Gillham settlement would go to Alton, and those in the northeast, to Edwardsville. This department of government in Chouteau is, therefore, of a comparatively modern date. Among the early physicians were Doctors Tiffin, Claypole and White. The former resided at St. Marys, near the mouth of Wood river, but afterward moved to St. Louis, where he gained considerable celebrity as a phy-ician. Dr. Claypole lived at Edwardsville, and White at St Louis. The first post-office was established at 'Old

Madison," in 1839. Moses Job was the postmaster. At that time a stage line extended from Galena to St. Louis, and Madison was situated on the route. The first mill was built by a man named Dare, about 1819 or 1820, and located in section 32, on the property now owned by William Sippy. It was a rude affair, and was propelled by oxen. A small distillery was connected with it. About 1837, the property was purchased by Samuel Kinder, who rau it but a short time, when it went to decay. Moses Job kept the first store, and sold the first goods. The business was conducted at Old Madison ; he had a small stock suitable to the wants of his customers, and also handled the mail for the people in that vicinity. This was in 1839. It was near this place that the first church-house was built in about 1840, by the Baptist denomination. It is a small frame building without much architectural pretensions. It is yet standing, but in a condi- tion so dilapidated that it is not occupied for any purpose. It withstood the flood of 1844, and if it had not been situated some distance from Old Madison, it, like the rest, would have been in the river some years ago. The remains of an orchard stand near the bank of the river at this point, and some of the trees had recently toppled into the flood, with the roots still clinging to the soil in which they had been planted.

But one village plat has ever been placed upon record from this township. There are two or three little hamlets situated in various parts of its territory, where a small busi- ness is transacted.

MITCHELL STATION

Was laid out by the C. & A. Railway Company, and is situa- ted in the northeast quarter of section 33, and the north- west quarter of section 34. The town contains two general stores, one of which is owned by the firm of Hinze & Krueger, and the other is kept by Henry Reinamann. Henry Quinn owns a blacksmith shop, and also keeps a grocery store. Meat market, A. Rapp, proprietor ; physi- cian, D. E. Smalley ; post-master, Robert Krueger. The little village may boast of a go ,d Catholic church building and parsonage. Father Kaenders is the officiating priest. The town lies on both sides of the Chicago & Alton, Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific, and the Indianapolis & St. Louis rail- roads, and with such facilities will in time, undoubtedly, become quite an important point. Old Madison, which has already been mentioned, was a little hamlet established about 1830, by Nathaniel Buckmaster and John Montgom- ery, and situated in section 17. In its glory it contained a store, blacksmith and wagon shop, post office, and one saloon. It stood upon the sand, the floods came, and it is no more. The present Madison situated one-fourth mile below was laid out the same year that old Madison was washed away, 1865. Amos Atkins built a store-house and placed a general stock of goods in it, and was the proprietor for some time, but afterward sold out to his son-in-law, William Harshaw, who is the present proprietor. There are also here a blacksmith and wagon shop. The former is conducted by John Link, and the latter by R. E. Shultz.

Salem, another hamlet, is located in the northeast corner of section 1. It received its name from the old Salem

475

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

church, which is situated just across the line in Wood River township. The place was subsequently named Gillham. In 1×74, J. K. Fahnestock opened a store here, and the fol- lowing year a post office was established and called Wanda. It is now known also by the name of Salem. Mr. Fahnestock still conducts the store, and is postmaster.

Bush Corner is located in section 16, and contains two grocery stores, one kept by Mrs. H. Marsh, and the other by IIenry Oldenburg. Saloons are conducted in connection with the stores. The following named persons have repre- sested the township as members of the county board : Amos Atkins was elected in 1876, and served until 1878. D. A. Pettingill elected in 1878, and served one term. Amos Atkins re-elected in 1879, has served to this date, 1882, being the present incumbent.

Chouteau has had many ups and downs since its first set- tlement. The floods have at intervals made havoc with the products and improvements of the people, and the Mis- sissippi, like a cancer, is continually eating at its vitals.

Even within the last eight years, serious inroads have heen made, especially in sections 11, 12, and 17. A part of the estate of Wm. Emert, nearly the whole of the property of Henry Hoberg, L. V. Bogy, F. M Christy, and about a half mile of the American Dike in sec. 17, are now in the river. The people of Chouteau manifest a great deal of pluck and energy in securing their farms from inundations. They employ a system of drainage that they may be enabled to cultivate their lands as early in the season as possible. The construction of the American dike was a great enterprise, and was completed in 1866, at an expense of $100,000. It commences in section 9, and extends southward through the entire township, fol- lowing the course of the river and Chouteau slough, and thence it passes into the township below. Its entire length is twenty-one miles, with an altitude from three to twenty feet. This dike has been of immense value to the husband- men of the Bottom. Indeed, it is the salvation of their in- dustries, and with its aid Chouteau ranks with the first land in the county for productiveness.

FORT RUSSELL.

HE early history of this township dates , pioneer splendor. The pickets of the stockade remained back over three-quarters of a century, here for several years after the war. George Belk, now resi- ding in Omph-Ghent township, has in his possession a barrel in a good state of preservation that was manufactured from the white oak pickets surrounding the fort, by Joseph New- man, the grandfather of W. E. and J. R. Newman. its first settlement commencing as early as 1803. When township organization was adopted in 1876, the commissioners gave this territory the name of Fort Russell, in honor of the old fort which This is one of the best townships in Madison county ; the land lies high and rolling, and the splendid farms and farm-houses form a landscape beautiful to behold. Wheeler deceased. Wheat is the staple prodnet. An castern man once visiting the central part of the state of Illinois, said in looking over the country, that all he could see was corn and sky, but the product is changed here, and the ex- clamation would now be, nothing but wheat and sky. The soil is mainly a rich elay loam, with a small sprinkling of sand, and in some localities gravel appears at the surface. was situated in section 34, on the premi- ses now owned by the heirs of John S. This fort was erected early in the fall of 1812, under the direction of Gov. Edwards, who was then the executive officer of Illinois Territory. This frontier post was made the headquarters for military stores and mu- nitions of war by the Governor. It was named Fort Rus- sell, in honor of Col. Wm. Russell, a regular commissioned officer in the United States army. He was placed in com- mand of a regiment, consisting of ten companies of Liberty prairie, lying between Cahokia and Indian creeks, is very fertile and finely improved, while in an early day it was considered worthless and unproductive as com- pared with the heavy timbered land situated near the water courses. Originally the township was about two-thirds tin- ber, but at this time it is nearly cleared away, and fine farms now occupy the place of the forest. rangers for the purpose of protecting the frontier against the depredations of the Indians, who had taken the war path in the interest of the English then at war with the United States. Gov. Reynolds in his history entitled " My Life and Times," says, that the fort was supplied with the cannon re- moved from old Fort Chartres, and with these and other mili- tary decorations, Fort Russell blazed out with considerable Fort Russell, town 5-8, is bounded on the north by Moro

476

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

township, on the east by Hamel, south by Edwardsville and west by Wood River. Prior to township organization this territory comprised a part of Edwardsville, Omph-Ghent and Bethalto precincts. It is now just six miles square, and con- tains upwards of 23,000 acres of land. The natural drain- age of the township is very good, the northeast being drained by Paddock's creek, while in the southeast the Cahokia winds through sections 13, 24, 25, 26, and passes out in sec- tion 35. The western portion is drained by Indian creek and its tributaries. This stream receives its name from the fact of its being in an early day the grand camping ground of the Indian <. The bottom was very fertile, and contained a bountiful growth of native grass, hence it became a favorite stamping ground for the natives. An Indian vil- lage was once located on the land now owned by Wiley Preuitt in section 18. Arrowheads, stone axes and other relics of the Indians may be found to this day along the creek. Tiling is being introduced to a considerable extent, so there is but little if any waste land now in the township. The railroad facilities are limited ; the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railway enters the township in the southeast, in section 24, and passes out in section 25. The I. & St. L. R. R. traverses the northeast corner of section 6; and the Madison county railroad-now Wabash-touches the south- west.

FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

The history of the first settlement, and the first pioneer of Fort Russell has never been placed in print until this time. Former historians have disagreed with regard to the date, and so far as the name of the pioneer is concerned, all are wrong, not giving the honor to whom honor is due. For some reason historic gleaners have placed the date all the way from 1806 to 1810; and have further recorded that Major Isaac Ferguson was the party who blazed the way for coming generations. We do not wish to clip the laurels from any of the early settlers, but facts are stubborn, and we must record the events of history as they are, without veering from the path of truth. To Isaiah Dunnagan belongs the honor of being the first settler of what is now Fort Russell. He was a native of Georgia, and came to Ill nois in 1803, and squatted in section 31, a little north and cast of the old Salem Church, situated just over the line in Wood River. He had a wife and two children, Joshua, and Thomas. Their first home was a little log cabin, but he afterward improved a small farm and built a good log house. Four children were born here, Louisa, Abner F., Joseph C., aod Isaiah Jr. Mr. Dunnagan died in 1814, at the old home. Mrs. Dunnagan lived until 1834; but before her death she entered 40 acres of land for each of her children in sections one and twelve in Chouteau township. Only one of the children are now living, Joshua, who re- sides in Montana Territory ; two of whose daughters are residents of Alton. Louisa has one daughter residiog at Bethalto, wife of Esquire W. L. Piggott. The widow of Joseph C., is among the oldest residents of Chouteau, men- tion of whom will be found in the chapter of that township,

From the best evidences, after a careful research, Joseph Newman was the second pioneer in this territory, having

settled here as early as 1801. He was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and with his wife-nee Rabb,-and four children, Zadock, Maria, John and Andy, left their native state for the purpose of trying their fortune in the wilds of the West. They reached Cincinnati, Ohio, where the mother and chil- dren, in company with several other families who were then pushing westward, came across the country on pack horses, often being obliged to swim their horses across the swollen streams, and to convey the women and children over in bark canoes, constructed for the occasion. At one stream they were delayed for a week or more, and suffered much from the lack of provisions. Among the families of these hardy few were the Fords, one of whom (Thomas), afterwards be- came the Governor of the state of Illinois. Mr. Newman constructed a small flat boat at Cincinnati to convey his goods and chattels, and thus made his way down the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers, stopping at St. Louis. He then joined his family, when they came to what is now Fort Russell township, and squatted in section 34, on the property now owned by the heirs of J. C. Burroughs and C P. Smith. He constructed a pole cabin and moved into it where they lived for some time, when he built a comfortable hewn log house. The old gentleman was a mechanical genius, it having often been said that he could construct almost any- thing from wood with the most meager set of tools. As early as 1819, he had constructed a turning lathe, and also did the coopering for his neighborhood. One child was born to the family after coming to the county, Emily, who afterwards became the wife of Robert Clark. Mr. Newman served as the first road overseer in the county. He was a useful man in the community in the day he lived, and died about 1825, leaving many warm friends to cherish his memory.

Zadock, the eldest of the family, and the father of J. R. and Wm. E. Newman, married Miss Martha Ewing, in 1810. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. William Jones, and the marriage was probably the first solemnized in the township. Mrs. Newman was a native of Virginia, and with her parents in an early day, moved to Kentucky, and thence to Illinois. She died at their old home in section 34, in 1828. After his wife's death, Mr. Newman subse- quently married Mrs. Sarah Cotter, widow of Abner Cotter, and afterwards moved to Missouri, where he died in 1864. Six children were born by the first marriage-only two of whom are living, J. R., and William E., who are prominent farmers, residing in section 11, Fort Russell township. The third improvement was made by the pioneer, Major Isaac IF. Ferguson, who is usually credited with being the first settler of the township. He emigrated from Kentucky here in 1806, and settled in section 18, on the land now owned by James Jones. In about 1806 or '7 he sold out his improvement to William Jones, and removed to what is now Marine town- ship. The family consisted of his wife and two children, Melinda and John L. Melinda died in St. Jacobs in 1880, and John L died two years before in Marine. Major Fer- guson had command of a little fort in St. Jacobs during the war of 1812, and it was here that he gained his military title of Major. IIe left the county in 1842, and moved to Texas. When the war with Mexico broke out, he was

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 112

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698